Improvement in trays for drying fruit



GpW. STEVENS.

Trays for Drying Fruit.

Patented April I, 1873 \Vit nossbs Inventor UNITED STATES PATENT .OEEIoE.

GEORGE W. STEVENS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT m TRAYS FOR DRYING FRUIT.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 37,502, dated April 1, 1873 application filed September 20, 1872.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE W. STEVENS, of San Francisco city and county, State of I California, have invented an Improved Tray enabled, first, to more thoroughly expose the undried fruit to the currents of hot air'while giving it a suiiicie'nt support and, secondly, to dry the fruit more rapidly, and at the same time give ita brighter and clean er appearance. This is effected. by constructing the trays of longitudinal slats or strips of wood, which are secured side by side, and are notched across at right angles. Diagonal cuts may also be made to further increase the airspace.

Referring to the accompanying drawing for a more complete explanation of my invention- Figure 1 is a perspective view of one section of my tray. Fig. 2 is a single strip with a transverse and diagonal channel. 7

AA are the slats or strips of which my tray is constructed. These strips are made as long as the size of the tables or dryingchamber may require, and are preferably formed by cutting the wide transverse notches or channels b in a board or wide strip. This board is afterward split into the narrow strips, and these are screwed to the bars 0 beneath, or laid in a rack, if desired.

Slender bars of wood might also be secured together'in the form of a grating; but in this case one-half of the present drying-surface is obstructed.

It is sometimes desirable to cut diagonal channels, or otherwise still further to increase the hot-air space, leaving just enough surface to support the fruit.

The advantages gained are: By employ ing wood, the front is always kept bright, and is not blackened by contact, as when iron, wire, or meta-l sieves are used. The fruit does not stick or become gummed to the frame so as to be torn in removing after drying. It dries much faster, as, by its porosity, the wood partially absorbs the moisture, this be ing again dried out as the drying progresses.

By making the channels in the slats, as shown, I double, treble, or quadruple the surface exposed to the heat.

Fruit dried upon my improved frames will bring much higher prices in the market from its superior brightness and freedom from the blackening which is seen in all fruit dried upon metal frames.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A tray for drying fruit, composed of wooden slats A, having transverse channels I), substantially as herein described.

2. The slats A, having the transverse or diagonal channels b, when united to form a drying table, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

GEORGE W. STEVENS. [L.'s.]

Witnesses:

J. L. BOONE, O. M. RICHARDSON. 

